Humorous HighWire Act
by khughes830
Summary: What if Josh had believed all of Donna's rantings during Evidence of Things Not Seen. Post Episode
1. Humorous HighWire Act

**Humorous High-Wire Act**

**Character(s): **various characters from "Evidence of Things Not Seen".  
**Pairing(s): **Josh/Donna  
**Category(s): **Romance, Post Episode "Evidence of Things Not Seen"  
**Rating: **  
**Disclaimer: **Not mine, not mine, not mine. Feel free to sue if you like, but it would be a waste of your time since you all have more pocket change than I have in my checking account!   
**Summary: **What if Josh had believed Donna's 'high-act'. Post episode 'Evidence of Things Not Seen'.

**Author's Notes: ** This has to be, like, my second favorite episode (BRING BACK JOE QUINCY!) and I've been trying to write something about this episode and whether or not I thought Donna was being serious with what she was saying (and in my world, yes, yes she was!).

Tonight was supposed to be MY night – poker night, a night to FINALLY blow off some steam and now I've got to do this interview… wait a minute, what the hell is Donna rambling on about…

"…there are some who would consider him handsome, I don't personally 'cause you're the only one I think is handsome…"

REALLY?

"… here, around the office, so that other people wouldn't suspect, I'd pretend that I thought this guy was handsome if you hired him. Of course, all along it would be a lie, because of how handsome you are… and powerful."

"Your sense of humor's a bit of a high wire act isn't it? You're really trying to thread the needle."

"And half of it you don't even get."

WAIT ONE DAMN MINUTE! How can she say something like that and then just walk away… wait… what did she say… I don't get it… is she… does she mean… yeah, cause I'm going to able to concentrate on anything this guy has to say.

"Hector?"

"Excuse me?" I take a quick minute to size him up. 'Wait, maybe I'm going to get lucky…"

"Just a minute."

I open the door as Donna runs up to me.

"Are you saying its Hector you're saying is good looking or is it…?

"This guy! This guy."

"Okay."

I size him up again as I sit back down. 'Joe Quincy'… yeah, right, not a chance in hell buddy!

Now, I know that I get jealous. I may be a fool, but I'm not an idiot (no matter how many times CJ likes to call me an idiot). I realized awhile ago that what I feel toward Donna is more than a crush (yeah, kind of silly – a forty year-old man with a crush) and now I guess you could say I'm just waiting for the right moment. Yeah, anyone with a brain would have said 'stupid – wasn't that moment the night of the Inauguration, when you had her on your lap and she was all wrapped around you, snuggling against you, the two of you all dressed up and in very close quarters!' but for me, that's just the night I decided I couldn't wait any longer. Granted, it's been like, what, 2 months, but in good time, my friends, in good time.

I've been waiting to see about my Donna – yeah, that night in the cab was amazing. I know she thought so was well, the way she snuggled and whispered in my ear in the cab and the way she stayed attached to my hip during the night – granted, that may have had more to do with my arm around her shoulders, but hey, whatever gets the job done!

It was have been more than an amazing night if it hadn't been for Khundu – is it a little selfish to be irritated at a global situation that ended up ruining my night with Donnatella Moss? Yeah, I thought so too, but I wanted to ask. But tonight, it's like Donna has installed a big billboard in the building that lights up in neon saying 'HEY JOSH – GET A FREAKIN' CLUE ALREADY!' Who knows, just maybe…

I guess I should pay attention to what this gomer is saying. I'm about to open my mouth when I see Secret Service run past the room.

"Hold on a second, Joe." And I walk out.

"Mr. Lyman, we need you stay put. We're in a crash."

"What happened?"

"JOSH!" Leo came running up to us.

"Leo, a crash?"

"Someone shot at the White House from the sidewalk, hit the press room. We're in a crash."

"Yeah, got that much."

Leo looked in the room. "Who's that?"

"Joe Quincy – he's here for Ainsley's job."

"OK. Go back in."

"You're getting to see a show tonight."

"Everything alright?"

"Yeah."

"What happened?"

"A guy shot at the building a couple of times with a rifle."

"Somebody shot at the White House?"

"Yeah."

"From where?"

"The street. Pennsylvania Avenue."

"Was anyone hurt?"

God, where was Donna? I hope she wasn't… I need to go find her, I think. "Hmm?"

"Was anyone hurt?"

"No, but we're in a crash. A lockdown. They're not going to let you leave the West Wing."

"I heard. You know, I though I heard what sounded like gunshots when we were talking

before, but I didn't... Did you hear the shots?"

"No, but I heard a brass quintet playing "The First Noel," so I just assumed somebody

somewhere was locked and loaded."

"You know, not for nothing, but the people that I talk to don't believe that story, and

the people that you'd like don't care."

Wow. Now, it's not everyday that I get to hear that from anyone. Even the people around her, my friends, seem to try to do their best to ignore it. Yeah, I know they worry about me, but I know it's hard. They are never sure if something is going to get to me. I'm not stupid – Washington loves good gossip, so I knew that that wasn't any big secret, but to hear someone not just acknowledge it, but o say that people don't seem to care… maybe he's not so bad, but still, I need to be on my guard… Donna thinks he's cute… or she thinks that others will think he's cute but she only finds me cute… remind me later to get that sorted out or I will never be able to sleep tonight.

Joe and I are talking when Donna knocks on the door. She's got panic written all over her face. She's concerned about me… god, when did that start making my heart beat a little bit faster… yeah, probably about the time she called me handsome and powerful.

"That's my assistant, Donna."

I watch Joe wave at her. He doesn't seem to be checking her out and she's staring at me. I smile slightly at her.

"Yeah, we met before."

"Excuse me a sec."

She looks like she just wants to hug me when I walk out into the hall. Lord knows all I want to do is grab her and get the hell out of this building.

"So what's been going on?"

"You were in the mess?" Please, please, please tell me that you were nowhere near the shooting.

"They kept me down there until just now. C.J.'s alright?"

"Yeah."

"Where were you?"

"I was in here."

"Do you want anything?"

"No."

"You know, I'm going to get you some water or something." Please don't walk away from me yet – just give me one more second.

"I'm all right."

She asks me some questions about Joe and I'm pretty sure I made some kind of baseball reference, but in my head, I was thinking that she wasn't kidding before, and I made a stupid crack about her humor being a high-wire act. 'Stupid, stupid, stupid' I thought to myself.

She wants me to call Stanley. I love that she worries about me like that, that she wants to make sure that I'm well taken care of. I just love… well, would I be presumptuous to say that I just love her and everything about her? Yeah, I didn't think so either.

Did I really just go off on a Donna tangent in front of Joe? Oh god, he's got this look on his face. She's really gotten in my head tonight. If she hadn't of started in on 'handsome and powerful' I would have been fine. Now, I've got this stranger looking at me like I've got three heads or something. Got to get back on point… "anyway, 20,000 specific threats made against US targets every year, and with all that, it's still the ones who don't give you advance notice that you're worried about." Yeah, that seemed to do the trick, but God, he doesn't even work here and he seems to know what I'm thinking about Donna. Can't imagine I will be able to keep this up any longer than tonight.

Why did I just invite Donna in to meet Joe again? Shouldn't I be trying to keep my woman as far away from this guy, who I guess some would find handsome, as possible before he started getting any 'Cliff-Commander Wonderful-ideas'? I guess I wanted to impress her with my deduction skills – yeah, I'm a regular Sherlock Holmes over here.

"You're a Republican!" What was it about Donna and Republicans? Well, I'm about to change all that.

"Yes."

"Whoa."

"Joe, its fine. Ainsley Hayes was a Republican."

"It is not fine." Doesn't she understand – I cannot have another gomer Republican trying to steal my beautiful blonde woman from me – not again!

"Why not?"

"'Cause if you're a Republican, then you damned well better look like Ainsley Hayes."

And then he tells us why he can't get a job with his own party and why he didn't sign the form. Donna is impressed. Can't have that now, can I? I need to up the stakes.

"Joe, I'm going to recommend you to Leo McGarry."

That seemed to do the trick. I love when Donna smiles at me like that – I guess she really does think I'm handsome and powerful. Now, on to the issue at hand!

I realize psychiatrists are supposed to be long-winded and talkative, but Stanley is really starting to get on my nerves. He's just chatting away as I watch Donna pack up for the night. 'Dude, shut up already!' You know, I told him I was fine like 20 minutes ago, that nothing happened, but he just keeps going on and on and on…

WAIT! Donna just mouthed bye to me, gave me a small wave and walked out of the bullpen. No, that's just not going to do, not tonight.

"Stanley, I don't mean to be rude, but I'm fine and I've got to go!"

"Well, Josh, OK, but I really think you should…"

That wouldn't be first time I hung up on Stanley – I'm sure he's used to it by now. I grab my backpack and suit jacket and sprint off toward the direction Donna just headed. It's now or never!

"DONNA!" Wow, that really sounded like a girl screaming, didn't it!

She had just opened her car door when she turned around to look at me. I'm really out of breath when I get to her – yeah, I know, I jog, but this was a full out sprint through the White House. Ever been there? It's not the smallest place in the world.

I lean over and put my hands on my knees, trying to regain my breath.

I didn't think this action would cause her to erupt into a worried frenzy. You would think that after 6 years I would realize that, but nope, not exactly the sharpest knife in the drawer.

"Josh! Oh god, what's wrong? Did something happen when you were talking to Stanley? You know, he said that you really needed to see someone in person…"

"Donna." I'm finally able to breathe normally and stand up straight.

"… but I insisted, saying that you probably would only want to talk to him…"

"Donna."

"… I'm sorry… I shouldn't have pushed it… I was just afraid… I didn't want… I didn't know what I was going to do if you had… well, you know… again… I barely managed the first time and I didn't want to make another mistake…"

She was staring at me with her bright blue eyes and she was rambling on and on. I really need her to be quiet now so I do the only thing I can think of.

I kiss her.

I'm pretty sure I surprised her. I've got hold of her by her face and she's just standing there – holding her purse in one hand and her keys in the other. Her lips are so soft and sweet… wait, I think she just might be kissing me back. I pull back and look her in the eyes.

I smile at her as she finally opens her eyes and looks at me.

"Sorry, but I saw an opening, so I decided to…"

"You kissed me!"

I chuckled. "That I did."

"You were kissing me."

"Yeah."

"And then you quit kissing me!"

"Yeah."

And then she said something that I hadn't expected, but had been wishing for. "Why in the world did you quit doing that?"

I gave her a full-on dimple smile as she dropped her purse and keys and wrapped her arms around my neck. I moved one arm to her waist and moved my other hand around to the back of her neck.

The first kiss may have been sweet, but this kiss, this second kiss, was perfect. I pulled her as close to me as I could and backed her up till she was pressed between me and her car. She rubbed her foot up my leg and opened her mouth just a bit more at the same time. I'm pretty sure I could die a happy man right now! She tastes like coffee and chocolate – probably from when she was in the mess during the lockdown. If it hadn't occurred to me somewhere in the back of my head just exactly where we were standing, I would have taken her right here, against her car, but my Donnatella deserves better than that. I finally have to break the kiss when she grabs my ass.

"Donna."

"Josh – there you go, stopping the kissing again. Why are you doing that?"

"Wait. I need to ask you something." That is really hard for me to get out since she's currently nibbling on my earlobe. I pull back and cradle her face in my hands.

"I need to know that you weren't kidding before."

"Kidding about what before."

"About all that stuff you said before I went in to interview Joe. That gave me the courage to do this and if you were just kidding…"

"Josh!"

I just stare at her. God, has she always been this beautiful!

"Would I be standing here right now, kissing you, if I didn't mean it! I meant every word – I've thought that way for a long time. I just wasn't sure if you took me seriously, what with the comment about the high-wire act and all…"

"Yeah, I'm sorry about that. You caught me off guard."

She just smiled. "Yeah, that was my plan."

God, this woman is evil – I just love that about her.

"Josh?"

"Yeah."

"Can we get back to the kissing now?"

"Well, Donnatella, I would love to, but see, it would seem that we are still standing in the parking lot of the White House and, as much as I would like to commence with the kissing again…"

She just shook her head in agreement. I backed off and she bent down to pick up her keys and bag. She tossed her keys at me and walked around the car.

"Then, Joshua, I think we should absolutely get out of here. I hear there is a great, very private place over in Georgetown that just might be perfect for the commencement of the kissing."

She's brilliant. Have I mentioned that this woman, my love, is absolutely brilliant?

I get in the car and she leans over and kisses me again. I take off out of the parking lot toward our destination.

"Joshua, just one request."

"What's that Donnatella?"

"Remember to stop for the redlights. I don't really want you to get a ticket in my car."

I just laugh as I turn the corner toward my townhouse.

THE END


	2. When the Wheels Fell Off the Wagon

**When the Wheels Fell Off the Wagon**

**Character(s): **Josh and Donna and others (but I will only know who they are once I start writing!)  
**Pairing(s): **Josh/Donna  
**Category(s): **Romance, Late Season 4  
**Rating: TEEN**

**Spoilers: **Up through 25, if you haven't seen them (and if you haven't and you are reading WWFF, you are definitely working in the wrong order!)  
**Disclaimer: **Not mine, not mine, not mine. Feel free to sue if you like, but it would be a waste of your time since you all have more pocket change than I have in my checking account!  
**Summary: **Josh and Donna after the first kiss.

**Author's Note:** Follow-up/sequel to "Humorous High-Wire Act". I hate trying to write angsty stuff – but it's kind of hard to gloss over the kidnapping, huh! But, depending on how much more I write, I will probably just gloss over the whole Amy thing! Make it like it should have been!

* * *

How I managed to find a spot anywhere near my front door, I will never know. I think God or my guardian angel or my fairy godmother or someone was looking out for me tonight, cause there it was, like it was waiting for me – prime parking so that I didn't have to walk several blocks while trying to keep my hands off of Donnatella Moss.

Just in case you missed it, yeah, I am soooo the man – yeah, I kissed Donna tonight. Took her breath away and everything (that's not me being cocky – she said it a couple of times on the ride over here.) I finally got a clue with the all huge hints she had been leaving me all night, ie:

"… you are the only one I find attractive…"

"… handsome and powerful…"

"… half of it you don't even get…"

See what I mean – hints, huge hints, hints not even I, the slow learner, could miss.

So, here we are. Donna was waiting for me at the top of the steps. She's leaned up against the door, smiling at me. I swear, if I didn't think Mrs. Lashavio would wake up, I'd take her right against the door.

I somehow manage to get the door unlocked and us inside the apartment while Donna is nibbling on my earlobe.

Once I get the door shut, I turn her around and have her pressed up between me and the door. After several long minutes, I curse the powers that be for my need for oxygen and I break the kiss.

She looked frustrated. "There you go with the breaking of the kissing again."

"Donna…"

"See, as far as I can tell, we are no longer in front of the White House nor or we in public, unless there are members of your fan club hiding in your closets, hoping to molest you themselves." This last part she says yelling – "Ladies, hate to disappoint you, but he's all mine. Get out!"

I can't help but laugh.

Now, I'm distracted by her pulling me by my tie through my apartment, through the kitchen and into the bedroom. I stop her at the threshold and cup her face in my hands.

"Donna, I need to say this before we take one more step and I am no longer able to think straight."

She's got a very concerned look on her face, like she thinks I'm changing my mind or something – what is she, crazy!

"Please don't look at me like that – I'm not changing my mind or anything…"

"What are you psychic?"

"Yeah, that's me, Lyman the Magnificent, seer of all things future."

"That's quite a nickname to live up to, there Joshua."

"Will you shut up and let me finish, please?" One…two…three…four… ok, she's quiet now – I can finish my thought.

"I just wanted to say that… well… this is going to mean more to me than just tonight… I mean… that I want more than just tonight with you… that…"

She's kissing me now, very passionately. She breaks the kiss much too soon for my liking, but I am more than rewarded.

"Josh, I want more than tonight as well… I want every night. You ok with that?"

"I am soooo ok with that."

"Josh, I've waited 5 years… I mean, 5 YEARS… for you to finally come around and now… well, it just… it means a lot to me…"

"Me too, Donnatella, me too. I am so… well, just… so crazy about you… but it's more than that… I guess you could call it… some would say that I am in… damn, I'm a bumbling idiot, aren't I?"

She just giggled and pulled me the rest of the way into the bedroom. She wrapped her arms around my neck and her legs around my waist.

She whispered in my ear "Josh, don't worry, I love you too."

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is the first time the wheels came off the wagon. At that moment, I knew I would carpet bomb Jerusalem and kill a man with my bare hands for this woman. But before I had a chance to respond, she more than upped the ante.

"So, Lyman the Magnificent, seer of all future things, I have a question."

How she manages to talk and do that thing with her tongue at the same time, I have no idea. Even more impressive is that I manage to respond.

"Yes, my dear, what future would you like told?"

"Well, I was wondering if you could tell me exactly how many times you plan to make me scream your name tonight."

Oh dear god, she's trying to kill me where I stand isn't she! "Oh, my dear, that would be more times than you are able to count!"

* * *

It's been three weeks since that night, that glorious night in my apartment with the one and only Donnatella Moss. The memory of that night has been the only thing that's kept me smiling during this really crappy time. Have you heard – the Vice-President had to resign.

5 years ago, I was part of the Hoynes machine. Not the most proud time of my life, but hey, that was before I met Jed Bartlet or Donna Moss, so needless to say, I was a little lost. I always tried to ignore his, well, let's just call them indiscretions for now. I did my best to ignore the things I saw – women that were most definitely not Mrs. Hoynes leaving his room in whichever random hotel we were in that week at 5 in the morning. I did my best to ignore the locked office door in the middle of the day. I did my best to ignore all the rumors – like the one about him and some tall, leggy brunette about 8 years ago. I didn't go on that trip, but I heard all the gossip about it.

I had always pegged John Hoynes as a crafty man, able to do what was necessary to keep his head in the game and above water. So, when CJ and Joe Quincy showed up at my office that afternoon, I was floored. How could a man that smart be so damn stupid? I'll never understand.

That night was hard for me. I may have left the man, but I always respected him and his political mind. He really did try hard, try to do what was best and what was right. Donna really did try to talk me out of drinking at all, but she saw that that was a lost cause, but instead of letting me go to a bar, we went and bought out the liquor store down the street from my townhouse. It was about 1:30 AM when the wheels came off the wagon for a second time in the last three weeks – all she wanted was to make me laugh, but I really didn't feel like it. She pulled out all the stops and finally had me rolling with her rendition of '76 Trombones'. Apparently she had played Marion the Librarian her senior year in high school. That finally got me to laugh.

I realized, watching her conduct the imaginary band and parade through my apartment (in just my old Mets t-shirt and her underwear, mind you) that being in love with Donna Moss and being loved by Donna Moss was more than just fantastic sex (which it is, don't get me wrong!) but it's also seeing her like this, her trying to cheer me up in the face of a really crappy day. It was me realizing that all she cared about was making me happy and I knew that all I wanted to do, forever, was to make her happy!

It's not like we are keeping us a secret. In fact, we had gone so far as to schedule a meeting with CJ and Leo about us when this whole Hoynes thing happened. We decided that we would just keep it between us a bit longer (well, not really between us – Donna answered my phone way to early one morning when Mom called and I have trouble keeping any kind of personal secrets from Sam) until we get the new Vice-President confirmed, and then we will let everyone know.

Little did I know it was going to come to this!

* * *

It was supposed to be a quiet weekend across the board. Zoey was graduating and the First Family were planning a weekend in Manchester with Zoey before she left for France. The President gave everyone an order to only spend 4 hours total at work this weekend. Donna and I had planned to work late on Friday and come in early on Saturday to get done by noon and have the rest of the weekend to us locked inside my apartment.

It was this whole working late on Friday thing that got me roped into taking an adventure with Charlie.

Donna was busy reschedule weekend meetings for me, so I took off with Charlie.

* * *

So, here I sit, in front of some random DC club with wet pants. I'm listening the Charlie prattle on and on about Zoey while we both watch Wes do a check on his agents in the club. Before I knew it, all hell had broken loose as we saw Wes take off into the club. It was when we heard the radio of one of the agents cackle "I have an agent down and Bookbag is missing. Go to black, I repeat, we're at black" that things were going to get a lot worse than just a Vice-Presidential sex scandal.

It was hours before I had a chance to breathe. After Charlie flipped out on Jean-Paul, Wes got us escorted back to the White House. Everyone was running around, scrambling, trying to get whatever it was we were supposed to do in this situation done. Will informs me that the President is just finding out the news from Leo and then he starts in on how we don't have a Vice-President. Its hours before I understand exactly what he was getting at.

Donna was frantic, trying to keep things organized for me until I got back. I didn't even have a chance to talk to her. She handed me a huge stack of messages and faxes while talking on the phone. I didn't even have time to admire the way she stayed calm and cool on the phone while talking to everyone that called.

* * *

The sun was starting to come up when I needed to get out of my office. I looked at my watch – 4:45, which means it's about 10 after 5. I head out to the Rose Garden to get some air. That's when I see her.

Donna has her back to me and she is shaking. As I get closer, I notice that she crying and sobbing quietly. It breaks my heart when Donna cries, it always as, but I'm not sure what I should do. What I want to do is pick her up off that bench and hold her in my arms to protect from the world, but I can't do that, not here, not yet. All I can do is sit next to her and put one arm around her shoulder.

She got her hands covering her face.

"Donna." I say, noticing it's barely over a whisper.

"Donna, please, look at me."

She looks up. Her eyes are bloodshot and bright red from the lack of sleep and all the crying. I wonder how many times my heart can break in a minute.

"Josh…"

"Donna, I'm sorry, I should have checked on you earlier… are you alright?"

She starts crying again and I forget where we are and who we are. I pull her into me and wrapp both arms as tightly as I could around her without cutting off her air supply. She lays her head on my shoulder and just cries. After minutes (hell, it could have been hours) she stops crying and looks up at me. She looks so scared that I do the only thing I can think of to reassure her that everything would be fine.

I kiss her.

I forget that we are sitting the Rose Garden, here at the White House. I forget that no one knows about us and that this place is currently crawling with press and politicians. Just as I start to deepen the kiss, I feel her cry and all of a sudden, I'm on the ground and she's standing over me, hand over her mouth, eyes full of tears again.

"JOSH! What the hell were you thinking?"

I stood up and put my hands on her shoulders. She tried to pull away, but I held on.

"Donna, I'm sorry… I was just… I wanted to make you feel better… I'm sorry…"

She started crying again and I tried to pull her into me again, but she put her hand on my chest and stopped me.

"Josh, no!"

"Donna…"

"Amy asked… she asked if I was in love with you… I almost told her… could you imagine, if I had and then all this… I lied but I'm pretty sure it was badly… I was about to get the third degree when her pager went off the phones started to ring… I was about to confess to Amy of all people!"

"Donna, it's fine, you didn't, its fine."

Then my heart breaks again when I hear "I don't think I can do this anymore."

"Donna, please…"

"No, Josh. I hate lying to our friends, who only want us to be happy. I hate that Sam and your mom can't tell a soul. I hate having to hide the fact that I love you. I hate lying, I've never been good at it. It was one thing to keep this a secret for few weeks, but now… what if… well, what if we can't ever tell them… what if…"

"Donna…"

"No, Josh, I can't do this anymore. It's too hard! I just… I can't… I want… I'm sorry."

"Donna, I promise, we will tell them, we will be able to be honest and out in the open, but not yet, not now. We can't. There's just too much…"

"That's the problem, Josh. It's always going to be too much, there's always going to be something. Look at where we work, what we do, the people we interact with. I don't think I can live my life like this anymore! I'm sorry!"

And with that, she is gone, running away from me to who knows where.

So, I'm left standing here, alone in the Rose Garden, feeling alone in the world. The woman I love said its too hard being with me like this. I feel like a part of me just died. I shove my hands in my pocket and try to breathe, but that's when I feel it. I forgot I had it in my pocket. I pull out the small ring box and look at the ring I had planned on giving Donna this weekend. I didn't know when, or if, I would ever be able to give her this ring. That's when the wheels came off the wagon for a third time in a month. I couldn't take it anymore. I shoved the ring back in my pocket and sat down on the bench, feeling my heart break. And, then, I started to cry.

The End


	3. Watch the Time Go Right Out the Window

**Watch the Time Go Right Out the Window**

**Character(s): **Josh and Donna and others (but I will only know who they are once I start writing!)  
**Pairing(s): **Josh/Donna  
**Category(s): **Romance, Post Season 6  
**Rating: TEEN**

**Spoilers: **Everything is fair game up through "2162 Votes".  
**Disclaimer: **Not mine, not mine, not mine. Feel free to sue if you like, but it would be a waste of your time since you all have more pocket change than I have in my checking account!  
**Summary: **Josh and Donna trying to repair the last two years!

**Author's Note:** Follow-up/sequel to "Humorous High-Wire Act" and "When the Wheels Fell Off the Wagon". And yes, I did rip off the title from a Linkin Park song!

* * *

I hand her a beer and sit down and start to think. What has happened to my last two years?

Wasn't it just yesterday that I had this wonderful woman in my life and in my bed? Wasn't it just yesterday that she was making me laugh and taking care of me? When did it all get away from me?

I should have followed her that night, the night that Zoey was kidnapped. I should have chased her down and given her the ring right then, but I'm an idiot, so I did none of those things. We barely talked to each other during those four long days. She did her best to avoid me and I buried myself in work. Then, Amy had to come strolling into my office that afternoon and I screwed it all up right and proper. I've never seen such a look of disappointment from Donna in my life. That's probably why she wanted to do more, wanted to try to move on. I did my best to keep her near me, but I knew it was just a matter of time after she worked with Angela during the budget negotiations and then saved all those Social Security checks from not going out. We tried to get back to where we were – we bantered over Christmas presents, I tried to give her more responsibility with the pardon vetting, but that backfired on me. So, I sent her on the CODEL, which backfired on everyone. She lay in that hospital in Germany for 6 weeks and then at her apartment for 6 more weeks. I know she blames me – if I were her, I would blame me. Then, I met Blarney Boy and my heart broke. I tried to ignore her, our situation, everything, but then she left and I left and there was no more – no more situation to ignore since we were no longer the dynamic duo. We snarked each other on the campaign trail, tried our best not to interact unless we had to. It was almost too much for me to handle when we ran into each other in that elevator in Iowa. When I almost knocked on her door that night, I had the ring in my pocket. I wanted to propose, to kiss her and love her, and for both of us to run away from this craziness that had ripped us apart. I knew neither one of us could ever do that, so I didn't knock. Yeah, I still had the ring then. I still have it now. It has been burning a hole in my bag since that night in the Rose Garden and now, the bag sits in my hotel room, just waiting for me to pull my head out of my ass and do something. So, I decided to take this first step. Yeah, we just won, but it really isn't the same when I know how far Donna and I have pulled away from each other. I can't really enjoy this until I've talked with Donnatella and I need to do that now, before she leaves again and I possibly lose her for good.

We barely looked at each other as we watched TV. The room slowly cleared as the Congressman gave his speech. He had written it himself, but I told him that was the last time he would be able to do that. He wanted Will – he remembered the Inauguration speech and knew that Will would be able to give voice to all that he wanted to say. Matt and Leo knew where I was, so when they left the stage, my phone rang. I knew who it was going to be, so I made my way toward Will.

I extended my phone toward Will. "Here, this is going to be for you."

Will looked shocked, but answered the phone anyway. He talked to the Congressman for a few minutes, told him that he would need at least two weeks to finish up things with the Vice-President, but then yes, he would love to join the campaign. I barely paid attention to the things Will was saying to me after he got off the phone. All I wanted was for Donna to look at me, but she was still staring at the TV. Will said something about being invited back to the Congressman's suite for a quick meeting, so that they could get to know each other. Did I want to come? Can't he see I've got other things to take care of first!

"I'll be along in a little bit."

And with that, Will was gone and it was just me and Donna. I couldn't stand it anymore.

"Donna."

She still stared at the TV and drank her beer.

"Donnatella, please."

I guess it was the sound of her name that made her look at me. I wanted to die right then – she looked so sad and lost and heartbroken. She had tears in her eyes and I could tell she was doing her best not to cry.

I walked over and put my chair in front of her and sat down. She had no choice but to look at me.

"How you doing?"

"Well, let's see Joshua. We just lost the nomination, which should have been a shoo-in considering he's the Vice-President and all, I'm jobless cause my contract with Russell for President ended tonight, I don't have any place to go cause my apartment is sublet till November, since I thought we would be campaigning till then, and worst of all, you…"

She couldn't even finish the sentence because she started crying. I had tears in my eyes as well. We both were upset at all the time we had lost with each other. I didn't know what to do.

"Donna, please, don't…"

She looked at me with wide eyes. "Josh, what do you want to do right now?"

"Something you probably wouldn't support."

"You seem sure about that."

"Donna, it's just that… I just thought that…"

"Joshua, for once in your life, quit thinking about doing something and just do it without thinking!"

All thought left my head as I stared into those blue eyes. I stood up out of my chair and pushed it back with my foot. I pulled Donna out of her chair and into my arms. I wrapped them as tightly as I could around her and she cried on my shoulder. It brought back all the memories of that night in the Rose Garden, but the difference was, this time, I wasn't going to let her go. She cried into my shoulder and I cried into her hair. I cried because I had lost two years with this woman and because I had forgotten how good it felt to have my arms around her. It could have been hours that we stood there, I have no idea – I lost track of time. Eventually, the tears subsided and we just stood there, wrapped up in each other, rocking each other back and forth. Finally, she started to pull away from me. I didn't even realize it was happening until she broke contact with me.

"Josh, look, we need to talk and probably yell and scream at each other. A lot has happened…"

"Donna, that's fine, we'll talk, yell, scream, whatever you want, but you have to come back here." I grabbed her hands and pulled her back to me until we were chest to chest, fingers interlaced with each other, arms hanging at our sides.

"The last time you pulled away from me, you ran and I just stood there. The last time this happened you left me and I stayed silent and that isn't going to happen again. I just lost two years with the only woman I have ever really loved, two years that I will never see again. Things would have been so different if I had just moved my feet that night in the Rose Garden. But I didn't, so I lost two years, two years of you not being near me, two years of not being able to hold your hand and smell your hair. Two years of not seeing you laugh, I mean really laugh, and it's too much for me. Donna, I just can't lose anymore time with you…"

Before I knew it, her lips were on mine. She ripped her hands out of mine and wrapped them around my neck. My hands were gripping the back of her blouse, trying to pull her as close as I could. It's like I was forced to go cold turkey from my favorite drug for two years and now that I have it back, I can't get enough!

As she swipes her tongue along my bottom lip and deepens the kiss, I start moving her backwards till she is between me and the wall. It's like I'm back two years, pressing her between her car and me. This is the greatest feeling I have ever had and I think if it ends, I could quite possibly keel over! She runs her foot up my leg like she did the last time we found ourselves in this position and I pressed into her more. Finally, after what had to be hours, I felt her press against my chest with her hands and I broke the kiss.

I look at her and she's got a shy smile on her face. I just couldn't resist.

"Donna, you kissed me."

She smiled just a little bit bigger. "That I did."

"Donna, you were kissing me."

"Yeah."

"Then you quit kissing me."

"Yeah."

"Why in the world did you quit doing that?" And then, I got what I was looking for – a true Donna Moss laugh. Her smile was huge, her eyes were bright with happiness and her laughter filled the room. Her laughing made me start laughing and she pulled me in for a hug. We just stood there laughing and holding onto each other. Finally, she pushed against me again and I pulled back so that she could remove herself from the wall. She started pacing around the room while I stood there, watching her.

"Donna, what are you thinking?"

She looks back at me. "That that doesn't fix anything, that we still need to talk about a lot of things."

"I couldn't agree more. You want to get out of here?"

She shook her head in agreement and we walked hand in hand out of the convention center.

* * *

We walked and talked till the sun came up. Neither one of us had anything to do that day after the Convention – Donna was unemployed and the Congressman insisted on taking at least two days to go home before the all out campaign had to start. It hadn't even occurred to me that I didn't have a plane ticket back to DC because all that really mattered was that Donna and I were talking again.

We talked and we yelled and we cried just a little bit more. She told me just how hurt she had been about Amy and how frustrated she got when I started giving Ryan Pierce the opportunities she should have gotten. She told me that I was the only person she wanted to see in Germany and I told her how my heart broke when I met Colin. I told her about the roses I never got to give her and what they meant then. She told me about all the nights she cried herself to sleep after leaving me like she did and I told her how I had to leave the West Wing since there was nothing there for me anymore. She yelled at me for every time I called her from Amy's bed and I yelled at her for letting Jack Reese take advantage of her before he left DC. She asked me if I read her diary and I told her no, then she told me everything that had been written in it about me and us.

By the time the sun came up, we were standing the lobby of the hotel, emotionally exhausted but not ready to leave each other yet.

I pointed to the hotel dining room and asked her if she wanted breakfast. We got to the table and she sat down, but I stood frozen, remembering that up in my room, up 8 floors was the ring in my bag and I wanted to go get it.

She looked concerned when I didn't sit down.

"Josh."

I smiled at her. "Donna, I'll be right back."

"Where in the world are you going?"

"Up to my room. I'll be back in like three minutes. Order us a pot of coffee and I will be right back." I gave her a light kiss on the cheek to reassure her and she seemed fine.

I've never run that fast though a hotel before in my life, but I knew I had to hurry. We had gotten through so much over the last 6 hours that I couldn't be away from her for very long.

Three and a half minutes later, I'm back at the table with the ring in my pocket, out of breath. I manage to order eggs, bacon, and French toast while trying to catch my breath. I about fall out of my chair when Donna pours me a cup of coffee and makes it exactly how I like it.

"Donna, you feeling alright?"

She smiled. "I figured, this once, I could make an exception."

We eat breakfast and talk more about what is going to happen in the next few months. Donna catches me up on all the White House gossip that she had gotten from Margaret – the most notable being that the President caught Charlie coming out of Zoey's room one night. That one had me in stiches! I told her about the first time the Congressman flew us and how everyone was just a little bit scared when we took off. She laughed and asked if it was really everyone or if it was just me. I chose not to answer that question.

We finished up breakfast and I paid the bill. Something's will never change – Donna will always expect me to buy her food no matter how old we get. That is something I am very much looking forward to.

We walk toward the elevators when she finally asks – "what did you need to get from your room?"

I sigh and lead her toward the atrium. I sit her down on the ledge of one of the planters and sit next to her.

"I have something for you. Actually, I've had it for a very long time and I thought I had the perfect moment to give it to you but then everything got screwed up and…"

"What is it Josh?"

I pulled the box out of my pocket and hand it to her. I finally look at her. Her eyes are wide and she has a look of utter shock on her face as she just stares at the box.

"Go ahead, Donna, open it."

She pries open the box and gasps at the ring inside.

"Josh…"

"Look, Donna, I've had this ring for two years. I had planned on proposing the weekend of Zoey's graduation. Remember, we had planned to lounge around the townhouse all weekend. You were going to cook a real meal and we were going to watch stupid movies and lay in bed for as long as we wanted. I was going to propose that weekend. Then, everything happened and time, well, it kind of got away from me. So, here I sit, two years later, with this ring burning a hole in my bag, wondering if I was ever going to be able to give it to you."

"Josh… oh my… Josh." She's got tears in her eyes and a slight smile on her face. I move and kneel down in front of her.

"Donna, a lot has changed between us. We can't ignore that. Granted, we talked about a lot of thing last night and I feel we are on the right track. This ring is yours and for now, it can mean whatever you want it to mean. Wear it, don't wear it, wear on whatever finger you choose. I wanted you to have it, but there is no pressure. I'll wait till you are ready, till we are both ready."

She smiled at me. "So, I can wear this however I want then?"

"Yeah, however you feel the most comfortable."

With that, she slips it on her left ring finger. "There's no rush Joshua, but this is how I want things to be, this is where I want to wear this ring, how you meant for it to be worn."

I can't even speak anymore. I stand up and pull her into me. We hug and she cries and I don't think I've ever felt so happy in my entire life. Yeah, we've got a lot more things to work through, but in this moment, I've got my Donnatella back in my arms and it is the most perfect moment I've ever had.

"Josh" she whispers in my ear.

"Yeah Donna."

"Can we get out of the lobby now?"

"Where do you want to go?"

"Your room or mine."

I just laugh and kiss her lightly on the neck. "You lead and I'll follow, Donna, just like it's always been."

She drags me to the elevator and before I know it, we are in my room, kissing and undressing each other, making sure no more time goes out the proverbial window.

THE END


End file.
